Who Should Hire an Education Consultant, and Who Should Not

Education ConsultingOpinionUniversity Admissions Guidance

Aug 28

I was at a school event recently as a parent. A mother of a Year 10 student asked the question that most parents wanted to ask: do we need to hire an external education consultant for college preparation? What does a consultant add that the school cannot?

It is a fair question and a sharper one at a school where families are already paying high tuition fees. Here is what I think, as both a parent and the founder of an education business.

You likely do not need a consultant if all four of these are true:

Your child’s school has strong college guidance – dedicated staff, real capacity, and a real track record.
Your child is self-motivated and disciplined enough to actually use those resources.
Your family has exposure to global education. You understand how international systems work, and you read widely about what is changing.
Your child’s interests and curiosity are supported both inside and outside school, and the profile they are building genuinely represents who they are.

Families at four out of four do not need a full consultancy package costing five figures in USD or GBP. What you might want instead is much narrower: a second opinion on application strategy, an essay review, a read of the portfolio and activity list, a one-to-one research mentoring program, or a passion project mentor the school does not provide. You can buy the hour or the specific program. You do not have to buy the full package.

You may genuinely benefit from a consultant if any of these is true:

Your child has a lot of potential, but the school does not have the resources to give them the attention a competitive application needs.
Your child is driven, but would go further with encouragement, structure, mentoring and coaching from someone who holds a high bar and helps them reach it.
Your family did not study outside your home country, and the international education landscape is genuinely unfamiliar: how the systems differ, what the timelines demand, and how choices made at fifteen shape the options available at eighteen.

In those cases, a consultant is there to close the gap and that’s worth paying for. You are buying their time, knowledge and judgement. Do not buy out of anxiety and the fear of missing out. A family who knows exactly what they are missing gets far more value.